This continues the strand of R&B and country collections associated with Acrobat's highly popular "America's Greatest Hits" series, this one focusing on the top R&B records in the US Billboard charts during 1962. This great value 103-track 4-CD anthology includes, with a few exceptions, just about every record which peaked in the Billboard R&B Top 10 during that year. By this time, the R&B scene had evolved considerably as the rock 'n roll scene had matured and Tin Pan Alley had marketed it's teen-oriented offshoots, and there was an exciting feel to the charts, with substantial crossover into the pop charts through artists like Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, The Crystals, The Four Seasons, Booker T & The MGs, and The Marvelettes. There was also a significant weight of other records from the increasingly powerful Motown, Tamla and other labels producing material which would have a significant influence on emerging talent across the pond in the UK, like The Beatles, who absorbed some of the songs in this anthology into their repertoire, sowing the seeds of the British invasion which was soon to transform the pop landscape once more. With the blurring of the boundaries between the genres, the more traditional blues and R&B artists whose music had helped lay the groundwork for rock found it harder to reach the top positions in the R&B chart, and the foundations of the soul boom of the late '60s and 70s was clearly in evidence in many of the hits included here. As with all these collections, it provides a window onto a dynamic and exciting musical environment, and includes a number of unfamiliar names and recordings of which even enthusiasts of the genre may not be too aware, and which will be welcome additions to their collections. It contains a 12,000+ word booklet featuring background notes on every record.

Tracklist:

Unchain My Heart - Ray Charles and His Orchestra
The Twist - Chubby Checker
But on the Other Hand Baby - Ray Charles and His Orchestra
I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) - Barbara George
Poor Fool - Ike ; Tina Turner
If You Gotta Make a Fool of Somebody - James Ray
Peppermint Twist Pt.1 - Joey Dee and the Starliters
The Lion Sleeps Tonight - the Tokens
Lost Someone - James Brown and the Famous Flames 1
Duke of Earl - Gene Chandler 1
I'm Blue (The Gong-Gong Song) - the Ikettes 1
Dear Lady Twist - Gary U.S. Bonds 1
Jamie - Eddie Holland 1
Baby Don't Leave Me - Joe Henderson 1
Letter Full of Tears - Gladys Knight and the Pips 1
Cry to Me - Solomon Burke 1
Hey! Baby - Bruce Channel 1
Twistin' the Night Away - Sam Cooke 1
Let Me in - the Sensations 2
Tuff - Ace Cannon 2
Smoky Places - the Corsairs 2
Slow Twistin' - Chubby Checker 2
Something's Got a Hold on Me - Etta James 2
Soul Twist - King Curtis and the Noble Knights 2
Ain't That Loving You - Bobby Bland 2
Our Anniversary - Shep and the Limelites 2
At the Club - Ray Charles and His Orchestra 2
Mashed Potato Time - Dee Dee Sharp 2
Love Letters - Ketty Lester 3
Annie Get Your Yo-Yo - Little Junior Parker 3
Tra la la la la - Ike ; Tina Turner 3
I Found a Love - the Falcons 3
The One Who Really Loves You - Mary Wells 3
Hide 'Nor Hair - Ray Charles and His Orchestra 3
Night Train - James Brown 3
The Town I Live in - McKinley Mitchell 3
I Can't Stop Loving You - Ray Charles 3
Don't Play That Song (You Lied) - Ben E. King 3
Stranger on the Shore - Acker Bilk 4
Playboy - the Marvelettes 4
It Keeps Right on A-Hurtin' - Johnny Tillotson 4
Walk on the Wild Side (Part I) - Jimmy Smith 4
Snap Your Fingers - Joe Henderson 4
Having a Party - Sam Cooke 4
The Wah Watusi - the Orlons 4
Need Your Loving - Don Gardner ; Dee Dee Ford 4
You'll Lose a Good Thing - Barbara Lynn 4
Bring It on Home to Me - Sam Cooke 4
Roses Are Red (My Love) - Bobby Vinton 5
Ahab, the Arab - Ray Stevens 5
Party Lights - Claudine Clark 5
The Locomotion - Little Eva 5
Stop the Wedding - Etta James 5
Beechwood 4-5789 - the Marvelettes 5
Lookin' for a Love - the Valentinos 5
You Don't Know Me - Ray Charles 5
Rinky Dink - Dave 'Baby' Cortez 5
Green Onions - Booker T. And the M.G.'s 5
You Beat Me to the Punch - Mary Wells 6
Sheila - Tommy Roe 6
Sherry - the Four Seasons 6
Lie to Me - Brook Benton 6
Stormy Monday Blues - Bobby Bland 6
Yield Not to Temptation - Bobby 'Blue' Bland 6
Don't You Worry - Don Gardner ; Dee Dee Ford 6
Do You Love Me - the Contours 6
Ramblin' Rose - Nat King Cole 6
Patches - Dickey Lee 6
Someday, Someway - the Marvelettes 7
Monster Mash - Bobby 'Boris' Pickett and the Crypt Kickers 7
Sweet Sixteen Bars - Earl Grant 7
I've Got a Woman (Part 1) - Jimmy McGriff 7
Stubborn Kind of Fellow - Marvin Gaye 7
Anna (Go to Him) - Arthur Alexander 7
I'll Bring It Home to You - Carla Thomas 7
Big Girls Don't Cry - the Four Seasons 7
He's a Rebel - the Crystals 7
Nothing Can Change This Love - Sam Cooke 7
Somebody Have Mercy - Sam Cooke 8
Return to Sender - Elvis Presley 8
Release Me - Little Esther 8
Don't Hang Up - the Orlons 8
Keep Your Hands Off My Baby - Little Eva 8
Ride! - Dee Dee Sharp 8
You Are My Sunshine - Ray Charles 8
Limbo Rock - Chubby Checker 8
Hotel Happiness - Brook Benton 8
My Man - He's a Lovin' Man - Betty Lavette 8
See See Rider - Lavern Baker 9
Tell Him - the Exciters 9
Strange I Know - the Marvelettes 9
Chains - the Cookies 9
Zip-A-Dee Doo-Dah - Bob B. Soxx ; the Blue Jeans 9
Telstar - the Tornadoes 9
Two Lovers - Mary Wells 9
The Night Has a Thousand Eyes - Bobby Vee 9
Don't Make Me Over - Dionne Warwick 9
Mama Didn't Lie - Jan Bradley 9
You've Really Got a Hold on Me - the Miracles 10
Loop de Loop - Johnny Thunder 10
Call on Me - Bobby Bland 10
Hey, Paula - Paul ; Paula 10
Walk Right in - the Rooftop Singers

UPC: 824046712327
Label: Acrobat
Release Date: 3.9.18
Format: CD

1962 R&B Hits Collection / Various - 1962 R&b Hits Collection / Various Artists (CD)